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Region 1 Wildlife Value 2
Growth Rate Height (feet) Rooting

Trees for Riparian Forest Buffers

by Bob Tjaden & Glenda M. Weber

Tree selection for a riparian forest buffer requires consideration of several factors:

region,
wildlife value,
light preference,
flood tolerance,
growth rate,
height, and
rooting.

Trees closest to the waterway are most likely to be flooded, and need a greater tolerance to high water tables. If the area has recently been disturbed, trees with a fast growth rate will quickly establish root systems to hold the soil. Fast-growing trees are not necessarily long-lived, therefore interplanting fast-and slow-growing trees is a wise practice. Eventual tree height is an important factor to consider. Ask the following questions when you choose your buffer:

At its maximum height, will the tree provide adequate shade for the stream?
Are there any aesthetic considerations (the trees will screen or frame a view or provide a windbreak)?
Are there any safety considerations (avoiding power and telephone lines or ensuring that the view of vehicles on a road is not obstructed)?

Trees with shallow rooting systems hold surface soils well, but do not provide as much stability to high banks and steep slopes as trees with deeper root systems. Also, deeper root systems anchor trees better where there are repeated flooding/ drying cycles. Below is a table of trees recommended for Maryland riparian forest buffers, compiled from several references. Information on the trees' ecological and growing characteristics should help the landowner determine suitable species for a specific riparian forest buffer site.

	Region¹	Wildlife Value²	Light Preference	Flood Tolerance³	Growth Rate	Height (feet)	Rooting
American basswood	P,M	Low	partial shade	Low	Medium	>75'	Deep lateral
American beech	CP,P	High	partial shade shade	Low	Slow	>75'	Shallow
American holly	CP,P	High	partial shade	Medium- Low	Slow	30-40'	Taproot
American hornbeam	P,M	Medium- High	partial shade shade	Medium- Low	Slow	30-40'	Deep lateral
Bald cypress	CP,P	Low	full sunlight partial shade	High	Medium	>75'	Shallow
Bitternut hickory	CP,P	Medium	full sunlight partial shade	Medium	Medium- Slow	>75'	Deep taproot
Black cherry	P,M	High	partial shade shade	Low	Medium	40-60'	Deep taproot
Blackgum	CP,P,M	Medium	full sunlight partial shade	Medium- High	Slow	<50'	Taproot
Black locust	P,M	Low	full sunlight	Low	Medium- Fast	40-60'	Shallow
Black walnut	P,M	Medium- Low	full sunlight partial shade	Medium	Medium	>75'	Taproot
Black willow	P,M	High	full sunlight	High	Very fast	50-75'	Shallow
Boxelder	P,M	Medium	full sunlight	High	Very fast	>50'	Deep lateral
Cherrybark oak	CP	High	partial shade	Low	Medium	>75'	Taproot
Chestnut oak	P,M	High	partial shade shade	Low	Slow	50-75'	Taproot Deep lateral
Choke cherry	CP,P,M	High	full sunlight partial shade	Low	Fast	<50'	Deep taproot
Crabapple	CP,P,M	High	full sunlight partial shade	Low	Medium	<30'	Shallow
Dogwood	CP,P,M	Medium	full sunlight partial shade shade	Low	Slow	30-40'	Shallow
Eastern cottonwood	CP,P,M	Low	full sunlight	High	Fast	>75'	Shallow
Eastern red cedar	CP,P	Medium	full sunlight partial shade	Low	Slow	<50'	Shallow
Green ash	CP,P,M	Low- Medium	full sunlight	Medium- High	Very fast	50-75'	Shallow
Green birch	CP,P,M	Medium	full sunlight partial shade	Low- Medium	Medium- Slow	60-70'	Shallow
Hackberry	CP,P,M	High- V. high	full sunlight partial shade	Medium	Fast- Medium	>75'	Deep lateral
Hawthorn	CP,P,M	High	full sunlight	Low- Medium	Medium	<30'	Shallow
Hemlock	P,M	Medium	partial shade shade	High- Medium	Slow- Medium	>60'	Shallow lateral
Hophornbeam	CP,P,M	Medium	full sunlight partial shade shade	Low	Slow	<30'	Shallow
Loblolly pine	CP,P	Low- Medium	full sunlight	Low	Fast	>75'	Shallow
Mulberry	CP,P	High- Medium	partial shade shade	Medium	Fast	30-40'	Taproot
Northern red oak	CP,P,M	Medium- High	partial shade	Low	Medium- Fast	>75'	Deep lateral
Overcup oak	CP	High	partial shade shade	Medium	Slow	50-75'	Deep taproot
Pawpaw	P	V. high	partial shade shade	Low- Medium	Slow	30-40'	Deep lateral
Persimmon	CP,P	V. high High	full sunlight	Medium	Slow	<50'	Deep taproot
Pin oak	CP,P	High	full sunlight partial shade	Medium- High	Fast- Medium	>75'	Shallow
Pitch pine	CP	Low	full sunlight	Medium	Medium- Slow	<50'	Shallow
Redbud	CP	Medium	partial shade	High	Slow	<50'	Shallow
Red maple	CP,P,M	Medium- High	full sunlight partial shade	High	Fast Medium	50-75'	Very Shallow
River birch	CP,P,M	Medium- High	full sunlight partial shade	High	Fast	50'+	Shallow
Sassafras	CP,P,M	High	full sunlight	Low	Fast	<50'	Shallow
Scarlet oak	CP,P,M	Medium- High	partial shade	Low	Medium	50-75'	Deep lateral
Shagbark hickory	CP,P,M	Medium	partial shade	Medium- Low	Medium	50-75'	Deep taproot
Silver maple	CP,P,M	Low- Medium	full sunlight partial shade	High	Medium	>75'	Very shallow
Southern red oak	CP,P	Medium	partial shade	Medium	Medium	50-75'	Deep lateral
Sugar maple	M	Medium	full shade- partial shade	Medium- Low	Slow	<75'	Shallow
Swamp chestnut oak	CP,P	High	full sunlight partial shade	High	Medium	50-75'	Shallow
Swamp white cedar	CP	Medium	full sunlight	Medium- High	Medium- Slow	50-75'	Shallow
Swamp white oak	CP,P	High	full sunlight partial shade	High	Fast- Medium	>75'	Shallow
Swamp bay magnolia	CP,P	V. low- Low	partial shade	Medium	Medium	<30'	Deep lateral
Sweet birch	M	Medium	partial shade shade	Medium	Slow	50-75'	Shallow
Sweetgum	CP,P	Medium- Low	full sunlight partial shade	Medium- High	Medium	50-75'	Deep taproot
Sycamore	CP,P	Low	full sunlight partial shade	Medium	Very fast	50-75'	Shallow
Water oak	CP	Medium	partial shade	Medium- High	Fast	50-75'	Deep lateral
White ash	P,M	Medium- Low	full sunlight partial shade	Medium	Medium	>75'	Shallow
White oak	CP,P,M	V. high	full sunlight partial shade	Low- Medium	Slow	>75'	Deep taproot
Willow oak	CP,P	High	full sunlight partial shade	Medium- High	Fast- Medium	>75'	Shallow
Yellow poplar	CP,P,M	Low	full sunlight partial shade	Low	Fast	>75'	Shallow/deep

P = "Piedmont", CP = "Coastal Plain", and M = "Mountains"
food source for wildlife
High = "tolerates flooding/high water", and Low = "does not tolerate flooding/high water"

For a list of tree sources, refer to "PLANT AND SEED SUPPLIERS".

References
Brown, R. G. and M. L. Brown. 1972. Woody Plants of Maryland.
Collingwood, G. H. and W. D. Brush. 1984. Knowing Your Trees.
U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 1997. Chesapeake Bay Riparian Handbook.

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